Word
artfully
Phoneticsart·ful·ly, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈɑɹtfəɫi/
UK/ˈɑːtfəli/
Adverb of manner
Definition
adv. in a clever and skilful way that shows care or style. You use it when someone does something well and with thoughtful design.
adv. in a clever and skilful way, often implying careful design, deft execution, or subtle cunning.
Examples
“She arranges flowers artfully on the table.”
“The chef plates each dish artfully, adding colour and height to make it look special.”
“The novel weaves history and memory artfully, leaving the reader unsure where fact ends and invention begins.”
Examples
simple
“She arranges flowers artfully on the table.”
contextual
“The chef plates each dish artfully, adding colour and height to make it look special.”
complex
“The novel weaves history and memory artfully, leaving the reader unsure where fact ends and invention begins.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “artfully” in context.
Verb
01. artfully arrange
“The designer artfully arranged the furniture to maximize the natural light.”
adv + verb
02. artfully avoid
“The politician artfully avoided answering the journalist's direct questions.”
adv + verb
03. artfully blend
“The chef artfully blends traditional spices with modern cooking techniques.”
adv + verb
04. artfully conceal
“The makeup was used to artfully conceal the actor's scars for the close-up shot.”
adv + verb
05. artfully construct
“The novel's plot is artfully constructed to keep the reader guessing until the end.”
adv + verb
06. artfully craft
“Each sentence in the speech was artfully crafted to appeal to the voters' emotions.”
adv + verb
07. artfully composed photograph
“The gallery featured an artfully composed photograph of the city skyline at dusk.”
08. artfully draped fabric
“The mannequin was covered in artfully draped fabric to showcase the new collection.”
09. artfully worded response
“She gave an artfully worded response that satisfied both sides of the debate.”
Usage
Manner adverb — typically placed after the verb or its object.
Real-World Examples
“Jackson is 41; by 24, he’d set up Brunswick House, the acclaimed restaurant in an artfully crumbling, antique-filled Georgian mansion in Vauxhall that made his name, establishing him as a young rockstar chef.” “If you loved the music being played, would you care if technology was doing the work? It's a question that generative AI - the type of AI that creates content - is asking of us all. One of the thrills of that night in Falmouth was seeing our special guest, Andy Cato from Groove Armada, artfully weaving an array of tracks.” “Pre-ripped jeans, because that is what we are talking about, really — the kind of wear and tear that is artfully, or not so artfully, designed into denim, as opposed to the kind of wear and tear that happens over time — have been with us for more than three decades.” Etymology
From artful + -ly.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated
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